Dark Sea
by Warmal
Summary: After spending years making up for lost time, Maui comes across a giant whirlpool filled with a dark substance. Suffering a major defeat against the sentient mass, the great demi-god must call upon an old friend to save the world once again.


Rough waves bashed the sides of the canoe. Creaks and cracks slowly break through the tough, smoothed wood. Splinters broke from the mast as the sail was pulled taut.

Maui held tightly onto his hook line while gripping the sheet line with his teeth. Gritting hard, he pushed his free hand against the mast. If it broke, it would be far more difficult to not only continue his task, but to sail onward. He'd be damned if he let himself get stranded on another island after escaping his thousand year torment on the small rocky shore that was his prison.

He felt a give in his hand, but dared not to look back at his hook. If he let up on the line for even a moment, it could snap and send his hook flying, the second last thing he wanted. The sun was already beginning to set and Maui wondered if it was the third or forth sunset he watched as he tried to pull up this island. While not the longest time spent pulling an island in his life, it was the most draining after just finishing pulling up four right before.

"I swear ocean," Maui said. "If I lose my hook or my boat over this, I'm going to make sure you personally tow me for the next half century."

Despite his never ending cursing over the matter, the ocean never showed. At least, not in any sort of sentient form. After his adventure with Moana, Maui spent three years going back to his old life. He had a millennium of lost time to make up for, and he was going to spend every waking moment to it's fullest. Which he was managing to do quiet well until the ocean showed up. It's insistent pulling towards the west end of the sea eventually ruined all of his fun. With the promise that he would be free to sail where he wants once he did the ocean's bidding, he chartered his course with the ocean pushing behind him. If he had known it would also mean being forced to drag up a lineup of islands for endless days and nights, he would have been a little more insistent on not going. But a deal is a deal. Especially to the demi-god of the wind and sea.

"Ah."

Suddenly there was a stillness in the wind and the water. With a calm confidence, Maui looked back at the island, careful not to snap his line. It would take several minutes to carefully real himself in without it snapping, but he was glad the task was over.

As his boat slowly came closer and closer to the shore, he looked up at the tall mountain stretched out before him. An awe inspiring beacon on the open sea. He didn't know why the ocean wanted him to bring this piece of rock up. Maybe one day there would be vast jungle laid upon it. Or a civilization would grow and prosper. Maybe even Moana would step foot on this land.

At the thought of the young girl he hadn't seen since she and her people started a voyage to the horizon, Maui paused for a moment. He hadn't really thought about her since then. Too busy enjoying his freedom. His mind wondered to where she could be, or what she could possibly be up to on this wide ocean when his boat finally run aground.

"Now that I have my hook it's time to head out," he said to his mini Maui tattoo.

The small image came to life and nodded it's head with great charisma, offering up it's fist to bump. Maui gave the little guy his fist bump in full only to turn around and see the ocean looming over him.

"What?"

The ocean flicked upwards, gesturing to the top of the mountain.

"I am not going up there." Maui put his foot down hard. "You've been having me bring up islands for days. I'm tired. I'm going."

The ocean was unwavering. Again only flicking upwards.

"That wasn't the deal!" Maui shouted, hoping the massive body of water would back down.

Sadly, that wasn't the case. He looked to his miniature self who just nodded his head and with a great smile turned into a giant eagle.

"Okay. Okay." He looked back at the ocean, a scowl on his face. "I'll go up there. But then I'm out of here."

With a great leap in the air Maui swung his magical fish hook around and took the form of a giant eagle. The wind felt liberating beneath his wings. A small part of him wanted to spread out and take off as far from the oppressing body of water as he could. An even smaller part of him, whom had an almost as big a say in their actions, said otherwise though. Instead of finding the nearest beach to lay on, Maui perched on the top of the mountain. The previously refreshing air feeling cold and draining. With his enhanced eagle eyes, he could almost make out the shape of the previous island at the edge of the horizon. Transforming back into his humanoid form, he grabbed hold of his branch and dangled as he scanned for whatever the ocean wanted him to see.

"Oh no," he said with a gulp.

It didn't take long to spot the giant hole in the water off in the distance. A giant whirlpool larger than he had ever seen before. A dark ooze like substance seemed to seep out into the blue depths, staining it with a feeling of dread. A force even strong enough to wipe the smug look off of his face.

Whatever the threat was, Maui couldn't let it continue. If there was even a chance that the hole was getting larger, sucking in more of the ocean, he had to do whatever he could. It was his job as the demi-god of the wind and sea to make sure that the world stayed at peace. And gaining another tattoo wouldn't be so bad either. With great wings spread again, he cut through the winds ready to face whatever he must. As he got closer to the source he could see that he had his work cut out for him.

The water was being sucked down towards the earth in a swirling mess of blue and black. The dark ooze creeping throughout the giant whirlpool in sickening veins. Never before had Maui seen something like it. And all he could do was assume that whatever was causing the mess was at the very centre.

With a mighty yell, Maui dove straight down. Confidence filled him. As long as he had his magic fish hook nothing could go wrong. Or so he thought. With a speed that rivalled even his fastest form, large black tendrils shot up at his body. Barely avoiding the first few spikes, he transformed back and used his hook to break the continued onslaught. As he fell farther and farther into the pool, more and more spikes shot at him. It was clear that whatever was down there did not want him to reach it.

"Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen." Maui chanted. He counted each and every attacked he blocked or destroyed. As he was falling he could almost see the bottom, a black mess deeper than even the night sky. It was impossible to make out what was going on in the ooze, but still he allowed himself to fall.

His voice was quickly cut off, stopping his breath at 'twenty-five.' An excruciating pain shot in his side as he found himself stabbed by a thin spike from behind. Somehow it missed anything vital, but he could already see his blood drip down into the water below from wound. The spike slowly moved inside his body taking hold of him to pull him out of the whirlpool. Despite how much it hurt to move, he swung his mighty hook down on the spike, only for his arm to stop mere inches from his target. Another one had hold of his arm. Completely immobile, he could now feel the burning sensation coming from the dark substance. With a final look towards the centre of the darkness, Maui could almost make out a shape. But any hope in making it out was lost the moment he was flung with great ferocity out of the pool and far, far out into the ocean.

"Oh come on!" He shouted to the sky.

He made a move to transform but his body felt weighed down. It hurt to move and the salt water was stinging the wound in his side. Barely inside his vision, he could see his miniature self moving about on his chest, but couldn't lift his head enough to actually register the actions.

"Sorry, buddy," he began with strain, "can't see what you're doing."

Just when he thought he was going to be floating there for a while, he felt his body begin to be tugged and moved. The ocean took over him and started to push him back towards his boat. While grateful, Maui also knew that this was going to be held over his head. And after the defeat he had just suffered, he felt even worse at being helped right now. It was horrible to think how strong and terrifying that substance was. Sure Tomatoa was able to beat him, but that was after well over a millennium without his hook. He was rusty. Now? Now he was literally tossed around like a rag.

As he was pulled closer and closer to his boat, he could feel the pull from the ocean weaken. If he didn't have to worry about drowning, he would ask what was happening. The pull continued to weaken until he was nearly to shore where the ocean's pull ended all together.

"This is-" he gasped for breath as he pulled himself up onto the sandy rocks- "the last favour I ever do. Ever." After composing himself he felt to his side and pulled away a hand covered in blood. "I know this isn't your fault, ocean."

When he turned to the open water he expected to see the giant still wave the ocean normally takes when conversing with him. Instead, he was greeted with absolutely nothing. No wave. No sign of a sentient body of water to be seen.

"Ocean?"

He was completely alone.


End file.
